s/o from the peanut butter thread...avoidance

[CAMom]

While reading the thread on when you feed your kids peanut butter, I noticed another mom said her child can't stand the smell or taste of peanut butter.

 

Then another mom said that sometimes avoidance indicates an allergy.

 

I've actually wondered about this for a long time. My 4 year old hates peanut butter. The very first time I gave him a bite of it, he screamed! He wasn't really talking at that time so I didn't know why. Since then, whenever he's gotten even a small taste of peanuts or peanut butter, he freaks! out!

 

He's never had any sort of visible reaction to it. No breathing problems or anything but he says that peanut butter hurts his throat. He literally screams if he gets even a taste. He gets uptight when he sees the jar in the kitchen and starts telling us not to give him any.

 

Anyone had anything like this? Would you have him tested for allergy to peanuts just so you know and are able to truly avoid it? Or does this kid simply have an aversion to the taste of peanuts and peanut butter?:confused:

[delaney]

I would say listen to his instincts. My oldest son is allergic to them but not severely. He said they burn his throat. His allergy has actually gotten better and can only be detected by the blood test but sadly he will never know the joy of a Reese's cup!!

[Beach Mom]

I would have him tested. First because of my own experience, and secondly because if he is allergic a future reaction can be serious even if prior reactions were not.

 

My DS is allergic and his first reaction was screaming and crying, nothing visible. When tested, his numbers were really high. We have no history of allergies in the family, I just happened to mention it to the pediatrician shortly after it happened and she insisted we have him tested.

 

We are now an epi-pen carrying, peanut avoiding family.:glare: I am a Mom who formerly treated my own bad Mom days with a spoonful of Jif peanut butter right out of the jar - I still eye the Jif wistfully when I grocery shop!

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

While reading the thread on when you feed your kids peanut butter, I noticed another mom said her child can't stand the smell or taste of peanut butter.

 

Then another mom said that sometimes avoidance indicates an allergy.

 

I've actually wondered about this for a long time. My 4 year old hates peanut butter. The very first time I gave him a bite of it, he screamed! He wasn't really talking at that time so I didn't know why. Since then, whenever he's gotten even a small taste of peanuts or peanut butter, he freaks! out!

 

He's never had any sort of visible reaction to it. No breathing problems or anything but he says that peanut butter hurts his throat. He literally screams if he gets even a taste. He gets uptight when he sees the jar in the kitchen and starts telling us not to give him any.

 

Anyone had anything like this? Would you have him tested for allergy to peanuts just so you know and are able to truly avoid it? Or does this kid simply have an aversion to the taste of peanuts and peanut butter?:confused:

 

I would definitely get him skin tested especially since he says it hurts his throat. My son's allergist told me that avoidance could be a sign of allergy:(

Peanut allergies are always serious since they are potentially fatal.

 

I also recommend in the mean-time asking your pediatrician for a prescription for a dual pack epi-pen to keep on your person at all times with benadryl melt-a-way film strips if you can find them. At the very least I would check all ingredients of every single food you give him for peanuts or tree nuts or the "made in a facility with peanuts or tree nuts."

 

This site has a lot of helpful info:)

http://www.foodallergy.org/

 

Just for the record, my son always shook his head and refused peanut butter. As an RN I did not realize this was a possible sign of allergy:( One day, he ate half of a peanut butter cookie in the store and I noted literally two, 1mm in diameter, hives on his chin with some drooling and no distress. I talked to his doctor about it since I was suspicious of the hives and she gave me a script for dual pack epi-pens and recommendations for benadryl as needed. She also recommended an allergist. I waited almost 2 years to have him tested since I was hoping that I was either crazy or that he would outgrow it. In the meantime, we checked all ingredients and always carried the epi-pens and benadryl with us which we will always do. When he finally got tested the doctor said, "Thank God you brought him in to be tested." MY ds tested the worst possible skin reaction for peanuts and tree nuts:( Fortunately, he has never had a severe reaction due to our vigilence (sp?).

 

 

I did ask the doctor if his reaction would always be mild and he said it cannot ever be predicted:( He said it could be mild or it could be fatal:(

 

I would definitely get him checked IMHO and I would get the epi-pens and benadryl and do complete avoidance of peanuts and tree nuts.

:grouphug:

Edited February 16, 2010 by priscilla
spelling

[lincap]

My 4 yr old was like that about dairy products before he turned 1. And had some hive reactions (we suspected dairy, touching cheese, touching whipped cream..) We had him tested at 11 months old and is allergic to dairy, eggs and peanuts. He has suffered anaphylaxis from the spit of a child who ate cream cheese and spit at him, requiring an Epi-Pen. He is on the very very severe end of allergic.

 

Better to be safe and get tested and carry an Epi-Pen than to ignore it and need an Epi-pen some day but not have one.

 

Epi-Pens may seem scary, but they are easy to use and save lives. I will never ever ever be afraid to use one again! (that is in my sig for my email.. maybe I should add it here too!)

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

My posts on this thread have more info on precautions I take:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135929&highlight=peanut+allergy&page=2

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

My 4 yr old was like that about dairy products before he turned 1. And had some hive reactions (we suspected dairy, touching cheese, touching whipped cream..) We had him tested at 11 months old and is allergic to dairy, eggs and peanuts. He has suffered anaphylaxis from the spit of a child who ate cream cheese and spit at him, requiring an Epi-Pen. He is on the very very severe end of allergic.

 

Better to be safe and get tested and carry an Epi-Pen than to ignore it and need an Epi-pen some day but not have one.

 

Epi-Pens may seem scary, but they are easy to use and save lives. I will never ever ever be afraid to use one again! (that is in my sig for my email.. maybe I should add it here too!)

 

:iagree: I was afraid about using the epi-pen when not needed and my son's allergist said that the mistake most people make is not giving it soon enough or when it is needed:(

 

The epi-pen cannot kill you in other words. The FAAN site has a lot of info on precautions, signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, etc.

 

Also, my allergist said most kids do not outgrow peanut allergies.

Edited February 16, 2010 by priscilla

[Ester Maria]

My older daughter had that instinct repulsion from everything dairy since she was a baby - milk, cheese, yogurts, whipped cream, anything. In that aspect, she's a lot similar to me, since I have the same kind of repulsion. Neither of us are allergic (both tested), at least not officially, but it is a sort of oversensitivity and we both avoid dairy.

 

Which is totally weird, since dh and the younger daughter are firm dairy eaters (not crazy about it, but they eat it more or less regularly). But just like my older kid, I knew early in my life too that something was just "wrong" with the "white stuff", so when I noticed the same kind of repulsion with my daughter, I recognized it.

[myfunnybunch]

I would absolutely have him tested.

 

My peanut-allergic child hated peanuts and peanut butter. He said it burned his mouth. Our story is very similar to priscilla's: He finally ate some peanut butter, and broke out in hives and with runny eyes/watery mouth. We took him to the pediatrician, then to an allergist, where he tested positive for peanut allergy.

 

Better safe than sorry, you know?

 

Cat

[CAMom]

I'm so glad I asked! Thank you all so much!

 

I'll call his ped tomorrow morning to make an appointment. He's overdue for his well check anyway. I hate taking him in there because he comes out sick every. single. time! But, obviously, this is really important!

 

:grouphug:

[Mom-ninja.]

Just to throw a monkey wrench in here....

 

My ds loves loves loves peanut butter in all things. He ate peanut butter every day.

 

He hates bananas. He gags when he smells them. Won't eat them. Runs out of the room if someone is eating a banana.

 

When he was tested for allergies....he's allergic to peanuts and not allergic to bananas.

 

Go figure.

[CAMom]

My posts on this thread have more info on precautions I take:

 

http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135929&highlight=peanut+allergy&page=2

 

Thank you, Priscilla. I read the whole thing.:)

[Jean in Newcastle]

Well, my dd avoids egg-plant at all costs. I would just roll my eyes and pass her the eggplant parmigiana (for just a "no thank you helping"). Imagine my horror when I found out that she is actually allergic to eggplant! (Honestly while I knew mentally that you could be allergic to anything - who is actually allergic to eggplant!) We found the allergy while doing an elimination diet. After having been on a "safe" diet for a while and then adding food in, her lips actually inflated and got all inflamed from eating eggplant. She tells me that she is so happy to be allergic to eggplant since she hated it so much!

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Thank you, Priscilla. I read the whole thing.:)

 

No problem;) I pray he does not have allergies, but I still recommend that you get him tested and to take precautions now IMHO.

 

Be sure to scour the FAAN site that I posted since it has a wealth of info.

 

Here is a couple of more tidbits:

 

1. If your ds likes jelly, then be sure that no one sticks a knife from peanut butter jar in it since then it will be poison:( I was taught this by another allergy mom.

 

2. Save expired epi-pens to practice carefully on with an orange.

 

3. Make sure that all adult loved ones and care givers know how to use epi-pen. At the very least use the epi-pen trainer with them.

 

4. Hershey kisses is one brand of chocolate that is often safe to eat. Be sure to check label for ingredients and the made in the facility label. Not all hershey kisses are safe though.

 

5. Check all labels. I once checked a bag of frozen peas and was shocked to discover that it was made in a facility with peanuts:001_huh:.

 

6. Take the made in a facility statement seriously since a study showed that 13% of the time the product was contaminated with enough allergen to cause a reaction. This statement is sometimes in weird places on the packaging so be sure to check the whole package.

 

7. Be prepared for other loved ones, parents etc. to not believe or take the food allergy seriously. I do not mean this in a bad way, but I have loved ones in my extended family who really do not understand or believe the seriousness of food allergies. I think it is hard to understand until it happens to you.

 

8. If there is no label, then do not eat it.

 

9. For birthday parties of friends, bring your son a homemade cupcake or 2 to eat since most bakeries use peanuts or tree nuts.

 

10. My ds still really does not know the specifics of the epi-pen since I did not want to scare him from telling me of any symptoms due to fear of needles. I plan on teaching him how to administer when he in his teens.

 

 

11. I will start training my son this year to carry the fanny pack with his medicines and a little snack.

 

12. Teens are also very vulnerable since they are apt to forget to check ingredients. I do teach my son to check ingredients with me since he is not allowed to take food from anyone but me or designated adult.

 

13. Be aware of cross contamination like the jelly jar. FAAN site has a lot of info.

 

14. I also try to reassure son and not alarm him. I just tell him that we always check ingredients since we do not him get sick. I have taught him to tell me if he has any symptoms as soon as they happen so that I can check him out and give him medicine.

 

15. When we go out and about, I bring food for him and remind him not to take food from anyone but me. I also tell him that there may not be any food for him there, but I have a snack for him:)

 

 

16. One last point, thank goodness, fatalities are very rare which helped to reassure me:) Of course, I did not discuss that possibility with my son yet and will wait till he is older. When he expresses sadness at food allergies, I try to remind him how lucky we are and that we can prevent him from getting sick by always checking ingredients.

Edited February 16, 2010 by priscilla

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

A couple more tidbits:

 

Most pizza is ok. Be sure to ask though if peanut oil or peanut flour was used since rarely some pizza places use these ingredients. Also ask about tree nuts and peanuts used in the facility in general. Even better make your own and save some money;)

 

 

We don't use peanut oil at all and the allergist agrees:)

 

We do not eat chinese, japanese, or other asian cuisine anymore unless we made it in our own kitchen. The last time we went to a japanes restaurant, my ds complained of an itchy tongue even though we carefully asked about all ingredients:001_huh:

 

 

I recommend rarely eating out since it is safer and will save money;).

 

 

I also find it helpful to have my ds eat before we go to a function and to bring a snack for him. If we will all be eating, then I will bring a dinner for him in a cooler such as Bernie O's and veggies and fruit;)